Release Detail

June 1, 2006 - Bush Tops List As U.S. Voters Name Worst President,
Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds;
Reagan, Clinton Top List As Best In 61 Years

Strong Democratic sentiment pushes President George W. Bush to the top of the
list when American voters pick the worst U.S. President in the last 61 years.
Bush is named by 34 percent of voters, followed by Richard Nixon at 17 percent
and Bill Clinton at 16 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University national
poll released today. Leading the list for best President since 1945 is Ronald
Reagan with 28 percent, and Clinton with 25 percent.

President Bush is ranked worst by 56 percent of Democrats, 35 percent
of independent voters and 7 percent of Republicans, the independent Quinnipiac
(KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds. Best ranking for Reagan comes from
56 percent of Republicans, 7 percent of Democrats and 25 percent of independent
voters. Among American voters 18 - 29 years old, Clinton leads the "best" list
with 40 percent.

American voters disapprove 58 - 35 percent of the job Bush is
doing, compared to 58 - 36 percent in a March 2 survey. Even voters in red
states, where Bush's margin was more than 5 percent in 2004, disapprove 52 -
39 percent.

"Democrats just plain don't like President Bush. His father, the
41st President, was voted out of the White House after one term. Nixon quit
under fire. But most Democrats think Bush 43 wins the worst-president race,"
said Maurice Carroll, Director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

"Bush's job-approval numbers remain in the cellar. But he might finally
have hit bottom."

The main reasons cited by American voters who approve of Bush are that
he is a strong leader who does what he thinks is right - 18 percent; and that
he is doing a good job handling terrorism - 15 percent.

The main reason cited by voters who disapprove of Bush is the war in
Iraq, listed by 43 percent.

A total of 38 percent of voters are "very satisfied" or
"somewhat satisfied" with the way things are going in the nation today, while
62 percent are "somewhat dissatisfied" or "very dissatisfied," matching the
previous satisfaction low point from March 2.

In an open-ended question, where respondents can give any answer, 16
percent of voters say the war in Iraq is the most important problem facing the
U.S. today, down from 23 percent in March. Another 12 percent list economic
issues and 11 percent list immigration, the first time this issued has hit
double digits in a national poll.

American voters say 56 - 39 percent that
going to war in Iraq was the wrong thing to do.

The U.S. should remove all
troops from Iraq, 29 percent of voters say, with 28 percent who want the U.S.
to decrease the number of troops; 26 percent who want to maintain current
troop levels and 11 percent who want to increase troop levels.

From May 23 - 30, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,534 registered voters
nationwide. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D.,
conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania,
Florida and nationwide as a public service and for research.

1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job
as President?

TREND: In general how satisfied are you with the way things are going in the
nation today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied,
or very dissatisfied?
(* combined "very" and "smwhat" satisfied, also 38% on 3/2/2006)

7. Thinking about the United States Presidents we have had since World War II –
Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon,
Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Bush Senior, Bill Clinton, and
George W. Bush, which one would you consider the best president?

8. Which of these eleven presidents we have had since World War II would you
consider the worst president - Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy,
Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan,
George Bush Senior, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush?

11. From what you have seen or heard about the situation in Iraq, what should
the United States do? Should the U.S. --
A) increase the number of U.S. troops in Iraq,
B) keep the same number of U.S. troops in Iraq as there are now,
C) decrease the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, or
D) remove all its troops from Iraq?